Bridge of discontent

Jul 14, 2013, 00:38 IST
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Varun Singh

Work on the Nahur Rail Over Bridge has not even commenced but politicos Sanjay Dina Patil and Charan Singh Sapra are already claiming credit for it

Both of them belong to the alliance party. While one is the MLC of Congress, the other is Member of Parliament from NCP. But when it came to taking credit for a bridge widening, both of them decided to stake individual claim and put separate banners. We are talking about Congress MLC, Charan Singh Sapra and NCP MP, Sanjay Dina Patil. Last week, individual banners of the two came up on the Nahur Rail Over Bridge (ROB), each claiming that they are the one because of whom the bridge will be widened.

While Sapra’s hoarding thanks the Chief Minister for helping him in get the go-ahead from the Central Railways for the bridge widening work, Patil’s banner has the picture of one of his letters written to the Railways asking for the same. While Patil’s banner still stands tall, Sapra’s banner was washed away thanks to heavy rains. But both of them claim that they didn’t put the banners to belittle the other.

While Sanjay Dina Patil’s banner (above) still stands on one side of the bridge, Charan Singh Sapra’s banner has been washed away in the rains. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

When contacted, Sapra said, “I had asked the Chief Minister to help me meet the Railway Minister. Finally, we got the Railways to take a concrete decision about the widening of the bridge. Hence, I put the banner. I am not denying that Patil did something for the bridge. Being an MP, he must have spoken to the Railway Minister in Delhi.”

Sanjay Dina Patil’s banner which was on the other side of the bridge, proclaimed his work and how he got the railways to agree about the widening of the bridge. When asked about the banner, Patil said, “Sapra and I had gone to meet Pawan Bansal, the then railway minister when he was in town. So I put my banner on one side and he put his on the other side of the bridge. There’s no misunderstanding between us.”

When asked why didn’t the duo put up a single banner, Sapra quipped, “Both of us had put up separate banners from our respective parties.” Patil added, “We will put up a single banner once the work starts.” But all this doesn’t seem to have impressed the locals. “For the time being, let the politicians enjoy the limelight for the work that has not yet commenced,” said a Mulund resident wryly, “We also dread the number of banners that will erupt once the work actually starts,” he signs off.